↓ Advertise on Defender2 ↓

Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Fitting Wipac Crystal Headlights
Post Reply  Down to end
Page 1 of 2 12>
Print this entire topic · 
Mwd



Member Since: 12 Jan 2016
Location: Scottish Highlands
Posts: 45

United Kingdom 
Fitting Wipac Crystal Headlights
I have ordered a set of these for fitting to my 62-plate Puma 2.2. Does anyone know if this model has relays for the power supply to the headlights or not? I've read a few posts and I'm not sure if I need to add something like a Boomslang Performance Headlight Loom to get the best from the new headlights.
Also, I can see rust around the existing headlight mountings - is replacing the rims with stainless versions the best option?
thanks!
Post #538447 8th Jun 2016 8:17am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
yorkshireman



Member Since: 28 Mar 2016
Location: North England
Posts: 80

Hi, I did the same on mine with some brighter Osram bulbs, noticed a hell of a difference. Mine doesn't have extra relays and as yet I haven't bothered with an uprated loom but I gather it can give a much better current and depending on the bulbs a brighter beam. I'd go with the stainless rims at the same time, I didn't bother and it bugged me for weeks so ended up changing them afterwards which meant taking it all apart again so save yourself the trouble. Very Happy Hope this helps. There are plenty of threads on the forum about looms if you search for them.

Last edited by yorkshireman on 8th Jun 2016 7:57pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #538456 8th Jun 2016 8:52am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Cupboard



Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2971

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 HT Corris Grey
All Defenders have relays before the switch (when you turn the ignition off, the headlights go off but the sidelights stay on) but none of them have it after. Putting in decent wiring and relays ups the voltage to the bulbs from about 11V to about 14V as well as protecting the stock, undersized cabling and switch. The Boomslang looms is one option (that I used), there are other looms or you could DIY.

Rust: stainless is one option. Alternatively you could remove them, clean them, rust converter, paint and replace them. Up to you Smile
Post #538469 8th Jun 2016 9:32am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Sadi



Member Since: 23 Jul 2015
Location: Windhoek
Posts: 334

Namibia 2016 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 Heritage Edition SW Grasmere Green
Upgrade lights Defender...
Post #538541 8th Jun 2016 2:51pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Stacey007



Member Since: 25 Sep 2015
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 3757

United Kingdom 
maybe a daft question?


Instead of clear lens do wipac or similar do a slightly smoked or darker unit?


Thanks
Post #538544 8th Jun 2016 2:56pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
ericvv



Member Since: 02 Jun 2011
Location: Near the Jet d'Eau
Posts: 5816

Switzerland 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SVX Station Wagon Santorini Black
^^ Daft question indeed. What is the point of looking for better headlights, and then have a smoked or darker version? Shocked Think they would be neither legal, nor E marked either.
Go for Cristal Wipacs, upgraded H4 standard 55/60 Watt bulbs, and a landreiziger loom with relays so that the full 14V gets to your lights instead of disappearing in the standard route via the light switch, and you will have a big improvement. Thumbs Up
Not as good as LEDs though. Crying or Very sad
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation.
http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o
https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I
https://vimeo.com/201482507
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw
Post #538602 8th Jun 2016 6:03pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Stacey007



Member Since: 25 Sep 2015
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 3757

United Kingdom 
^ I knew it was a daft question,


Maybe want I mean is the headlight bit is clear but the back ground darker (behind the bulb)

a bit like the Led ones?

does that make sense? like this one but the yellow part darker? so not the front bit that the light shines through?



Post #538715 8th Jun 2016 9:34pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
FunkyMunky



Member Since: 10 Jun 2016
Location: Middlesbrough
Posts: 22

United Kingdom 1996 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Alpine White
Replaced my headlamps with Crystals and there was a marked improvement but nothing spectacular. Confused 'borrowed' a friends H4 Night Breaker bulb for comparison and wasn't much of a difference except the instrument light seemed to be dimmer too! Rolling Eyes

Had seen many headlight wiring modification posts so went that route, as much a preventative measure (re: the headlight switch issue) as improving the lights. Thumbs Up

Bought all the components from Fleabay and made my own loom, complete with waterproof relay holder box and fuse-holder. What a massive difference! Especially with the Night Breaker bulb! Very Happy

Definitely recommend this modification! Thumbs Up
Post #539200 10th Jun 2016 6:39pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Sadi



Member Since: 23 Jul 2015
Location: Windhoek
Posts: 334

Namibia 2016 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 Heritage Edition SW Grasmere Green
Stacey007 wrote:
^ I knew it was a daft question,


Maybe want I mean is the headlight bit is clear but the back ground darker (behind the bulb)

a bit like the Led ones?

does that make sense? like this one but the yellow part darker? so not the front bit that the light shines through?



o


Not impossible that such may exist - but may need more search time to find such that will meet your exact specs:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LUCAS-24hr-LeMans-...1209425833

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/tri-bar-headlights
Post #539228 10th Jun 2016 7:38pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Stacey007



Member Since: 25 Sep 2015
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 3757

United Kingdom 
^ thanks

that is the sort if thing I guess the issue would be they are not MOT passable?
Post #539245 10th Jun 2016 8:27pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Sadi



Member Since: 23 Jul 2015
Location: Windhoek
Posts: 334

Namibia 2016 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 Heritage Edition SW Grasmere Green
Bulbs..
There was a recent group buy on the Forum which I missed:

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic44406.html

It displayed a nice variety of PIAA bulbs.

I did the Landreiziger upgrade but kept the Wipac OEM headlights for the "traditional look".

Will eventually do a bulb upgrade - but happy sofar with the light output (live is connected directly to alternator and ground connected to the A/C compressor as per threads on here) - and especially for the current saving-/protection on the light switch.

In South Africa the installation of the round headlight of the earlier VW Golf model is also popular - ?Hella - which apparently shifts focusing of light beam from the lens (Wipac OEM) to the reflector. May not be as straightforward an installation as the Chrystal - but could be researched with a search engine.
Post #539309 11th Jun 2016 5:49am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Mwd



Member Since: 12 Jan 2016
Location: Scottish Highlands
Posts: 45

United Kingdom 
Thanks for the advice everyone. Wipac Crystal headlights & S/S rings and a Boomslang/Red Bison loom all ready to fit. All looks straightforward in theory but no doubt routing the cables and securing them properly will be fiddly. Has anyone done this on a Puma - getting to the alternator for the positive supply looks like it will involve removing some air hoses from the turbo, the alternative is connecting to the battery?
Post #539890 13th Jun 2016 5:27pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
gilarion



Member Since: 05 Dec 2013
Location: Wales
Posts: 5111

Wales 2007 Defender 90 Other CSW Trident Green
Much better to wire up via the battery, much easier to get to the fuse and in any respects the Boomslang loom fuse if fitted to the alternator could give problems as it is not in a waterproof holder. If going the battery route remove the two lucar connectors to the fuse holder using a small screwdriver blade to press down the pins. Then you should be able to pass the wires through one of the battery box grommets then reconnect the lucars into the fuse holder. For those who like Welsh Mountains and narrow boats have a look at my videos and photos at..

http://www.youtube.com/user/conwy1
Post #539895 13th Jun 2016 5:39pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Sadi



Member Since: 23 Jul 2015
Location: Windhoek
Posts: 334

Namibia 2016 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 Heritage Edition SW Grasmere Green
http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic26097....;start=150

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic25681....p;start=15


I removed only the one air hose - turbo/air box - for connecting to the alternator.

Still a job to be done in bright light preferably - and not when you are tired and at the end of your tether...

Also a decent spanner- and socket set required.
Post #539926 13th Jun 2016 7:48pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Cupboard



Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2971

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 HT Corris Grey
For what it's worth, Nightbreakers aren't technically brighter, they don't produce more lumens because that's illegal.
What they do (I think) is produce a light that seems brighter, and is produced in a smaller area so it's easier to focus with a small reflector. Defender has a big reflector so makes less difference.

More information in historic threads from Lost for Words.
Post #539953 13th Jun 2016 9:15pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Post Reply  Back to top
Page 1 of 2 12>
All times are GMT

Jump to  
Previous Topic | Next Topic >
Posting Rules
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum



Site Copyright © 2006-2024 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
DEFENDER2.NET RSS Feed - All Forums